PRB: Internet Explorer Returns Object Required: 'Explorer' (166367)

MORE INFORMATION

Prior to version 3.02 of Internet Explorer, the Explorer property was an undocumented property of the HTML Scripting Object Model document object. While the Explorer property has been used in some cases in a positive way by content providers, it is possible to use it in ways that lead to a negative experience for the end-user. An example of this can be illustrated using the explorer.fullscreen property. An end-user viewing a page that kicks the browser into full-screen (kiosk) mode may lack the technical experience to regain control of the browser and may end up having to reboot.

Microsoft makes every effort to provide alternative means to achieve legitimate results that are possible through the use of the Explorer property. Below is a list of the common uses for the Explorer property and the corresponding script-based workaround, which achieves similar results. The examples are written in VBScript; however, they can be converted easily to JScript.

explorer.fullscreen -

Internet Explorer can be started in kiosk mode by launching the browser with the -k command line option. This is the only option for running the browser in kiosk mode.

To simulate kiosk mode, however, adapt the following code:

<HTML>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE=VBSCRIPT>
   window.open "http://example.microsoft.com", _
      "","menubar=no,toolbar=no,status=no"
   window.close
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Upon loading the HTML above Internet Explorer 3.02 executes the script immediately. The script loads the specified URL into a new maximized window that contains no menu bar, toolbar, or status bar. The initial window that executed the script is closed.

explorer.top, left, height, and width -

Another instance of the browser can be opened in a position specified in the window.open method:

   Function DoTopLeftHeightWidth()
      window.open "<WWLINK TYPE="GENERIC" VALUE="http://example.microsoft.com",">http://example.microsoft.com",</WWLINK> "", _
         "top=0,left=0,height=1,width=1"
      window.close
   End Function

explorer.statusbar, menubar, and toolbar -

Another instance of the browser can be opened with or without the control bars present:

   Function DoOpenLimitAdornments()
      window.open "<WWLINK TYPE="GENERIC" VALUE="http://example.microsoft.com",">http://example.microsoft.com",</WWLINK> "", _
        "statusbar=no,menubar=yes,toolbar=no"
      window.close
   End Function

explorer.goforward -

   Function DoGoForward()
      window.history.forward
   End Function

explorer.goback -

   Function DoGoBack()
      window.history.back
   End Function

explorer.locationurl -

   Function DoLocationUrl()
      msgbox location.href
   End Function

explorer.locationname -

   Function DoLocationName()
      msgbox window.document.title
   End Function

explorer.navigate(<url>,navNoHistory) -

   Function DoNavNoHistory()
      window.location.replace("<WWLINK TYPE="GENERIC" VALUE="http://example.microsoft.com")">http://example.microsoft.com")</WWLINK>
   End Function

explorer.fullname or explorer.path -

   Function DoUserAgent()
      MsgBox navigator.userAgent
   End Function

explorer.refresh and refresh2 -

   Function DoRefresh()
      location.reload()
   End Function

Microsoft has determined that there is no script-based workaround for executing the following methods or retrieving the values of the following properties:

explorer.GoHome
explorer.GoSearch
explorer.height
explorer.width
explorer.top
explorer.left
explorer.busy

The above properties are exposed for those who need them via an ActiveX control provided by Microsoft. To use the control, embed the following in your Web page:

<OBJECT ID="Accessor1"
   CLASSID="CLSID:354154AE-9BFE-11D0-A6D0-00AA00A70FC2"
   CODEBASE=
     "http://activex.microsoft.com/controls/iexplorer/x86/iwebacc.dll">
</OBJECT>

The properties and methods can then be accessed as follows:

Accessor1.GoHome
Accessor1.GoSearch
Accessor1.height
...